Menu

We all know a rape survivor. A sexual assault survivor speaks about being stationed at Coast Guard Burlington VT

Anonymous, United States Coast Guard Station Burlington, VT Crew 2011

Updated September 16. 2011

Every summer my parents will ship me off for a week or two to stay with an uncle who owned a condo by the beach. He was a bartender and worked at nights. During the day we’ll hang out by the beach, go to the amusement park and play baseball. After work in the wee hours of the morning he’ll come to my bed and molest me. This went on from the age of 8-15. He told me to keep quiet about it. I was scared so I did. I also went through some sexual assault, harassment, hazing not sure what it was during basic training. No body else involved reported it so I kept my mouth shut as well to not stir up any trouble.

When I received orders to Station Burlington I did what anyone else will do; I went online and did as much research about Burlington, VT and Station Burlington. It was going to be my home for the next few years might as well know what the town and station is all about. I came across an article about a woman who was stationed here and reported a rape. I read it and thought how screw up it was what she went through and continued on with my research to find the best bar/restaurant/place to live in the Burlington area.

The town of Burlington hates us. Sorry but to be such a downer but that it is the truth. When the Station makes the news there are always a couple of folks that want to bring up the rape. I was wearing a Coast Guard tee shirt at Hanaford and was scolded by some middle-aged woman about the rape coverup. There is even a group called “Vermonters against Station Burlington, VT” they even have a facebook page. On the good side all the comments on there say that they have nothing against the station but are disgusted by the way the rape case was handled. My mom told a friend of hers who grew up in Vermont that I am serving in Burlington. Her first comment was about the rape. My mom was calling me asking me about the rape. We are not known for the lives that we saved or making the lake a safe place, we are only known as the place that a woman was raped and the Coast Guard covered it up. I have been at the station for quite some time and can say we deserve every single negative thing that has been said about this station.

Before someone from the station reads this and try to track down who wrote it let me say that you know what I am about to write is the truth. A week does not pass by without the crew saying some sick rape joke or blame the victim comment. This is nothing unique to Station Burlington-at my previous unit we had a woman who reported sexual harassment. When she left the rumor mill ran wild. What is unique in this case is the amount of folks that know about the Station Burlington case as opposed to the previous case. Kudos to the survivor for not shutting up about what happened to her.

The Coast Guard did a pretty messy job covering up her rape. Photos of her injuries are circulating the web and you can’t possibly tell me that those injuries were from a woman who “cried rape” or a woman who “wanted” it. If you brutally attack and break the tooth of every woman who is “willingly” wanting to have sex go report yourself to the police right now. For those that said she “deserved to be raped” I can’t imagine what she possibly could have done to deserve to be beaten, raped and watch the man be set free. I won’t wish that on my worst enemy. Not even Dick Chenny deserves to be treated in this manner. After seeing those photos, which by the way were taken at Station Burlington I recognized the room in the background, the man who did this to her should have at the very least be charged with aggravated assault. Town of Burlington I agree with everything that you are saying about this station. We fucked up.

Nobody that is serving here today has served with the rape survivor. The information that we have on her was handed down, washed down and twisted by those who served with her. They were as the victim put it, the core group of people who did the majority of the victim blaming. It is not difficult to find out who they were since most continue to be the same assholes today. I am tired of reading all those “she deserved the rape but she is also lying”-contradiction (I’m talking to you, Christopher Simays, Joseph F. Lydon and Stacy Houg) comments. There was an entire debate on facebook which over a dozen people came to the defense for the rape survivor after Stacy Houg went all apeshit saying she fucking crazy, the rape survivor deserved it rant. When people who heard about the rape being spoken by the Congress, yes the CONGRESS Stacy was so adement that this rape was not spoken about in Congress and called everyone that made mention that it was-a liar. That was until somebody posted a link for a video that shows no other but a Congresswoman speaking about this rape on where else but on the Congress floor during a formal hearing.

What I witnessed was a Coast Guardsman that served at Station Burlington attacking people without any merit and jumping to conclusion for what she thinks was done. Now you tell me that Stacy Houg did not jump to conclusions over what happened immediately after she heard about the rape? What I witnessed was BM3 Houg trying to defend her wrong doings by continuing to discredit the survivor. I am sure that I was not the only who was following Stacy trying to cover up her abuse towards the victim by further abusing her and all who came to her defense. BM3 Houg may no longer be serving here but her comments are doing more than just making Stacy looking like an ignorant bitch. What is this doing for Station Burlington image? A whole lot of damage.

As I was saying, not one person who is serving here today served with the rape survivor. You’ll think that we have better things to do than talk about the rape survivor but I can assure you that we do not. When Senior leaves for the day and we are on duty we get bored, like watching our flat screen TV bored out of our minds someone please go be an idiot on the lake kind of bored. For god sakes we are on a lake in Vermont-trust me most days pass by without any cases. There is so little to do here that we are nicked named Station Vacation. There are a handful that love to make mention of the rape. They joke and laugh about it. They call the survivor crazy and tell us that she deserves it. I wonder where they learned that one from. What they fail to realize, aside from the damage it does to the reputation of the Station is how it affects those around them that have to listen to their anti-victims rants.

This is a message for everyone that is currently serving at Coast Guard Station Burlington and those who came across this page because they received orders here:

This post would probably cause an uproar at the Station if ever found. I can almost hear it now, I must be gay or I must be a woman impersonating a man cause how dare a man actually defend a rape survivor. For my own safety keep my identity private. I also changed some identifying information. To my shipmates think what you want because I could care less about the opinions of someone who said that women deserve to be raped because they chose a career that is for men or because she chose to go hiking or (my favorite) because she is pretty. Your opinion does not matter because you already showed us that you are not on the side of sexual assault or rape survivors. You showed us all that you are nothing but a stupid, ignorant, hateful human beings.

When I hear my shipmates talking about rape, the rape victim who walked the very steps that I am today or any rape victim at all I know that those words could have been about me if they only knew what happened to me as a child. When my shipmates joke that rape survivors are to blame I go back to the scared 8 years old boy that I was when my uncle first molested me. I go back to feeling that I was at fault for his drunken molested nights. For many years I have buried deep inside me what happened and it was not until I came to this Station that I started to think about my uncle’s abuse and even had nightmares about it. All of this blame the victim talk is stirring up emotions and I am sure that I am not the only one.

When my shipmates say that women who are raped are all whores I think about the women at my stations. If statistics hold true one of them was raped or would be raped while serving in the Coast Guard. If statistics hold true two men that I am serving with was raped or would be raped while serving in the Coast Guard. If statistics hold true most likely they’ll never report it. Furthermore if statistics hold true there are 2 of us who been victimized as children. I am one of them. What in essence you are telling us is that she, she, him, him, him and me are all whores.

When we hear you saying that the rape survivor, or any rape survivor, is crazy. The 5 people who statistics show will be sexually victimized are also listening to you. Like me they me be thinking back to when they were raped or assaulted or if they are yet to be victimized they’ll think back to your victim blaming rants. No matter how close that you are with them now. When they are raped they won’t tell you. You have shown to them time and time again that you are not a person who is on the side of a rape victims. You have proven to us that you are nothing more than an ignorant jerk.

When you tell us that rape survivors lie for attention or out of remorse you never know who may be listening. You don’t know if the PO2 spent yesterday evening at the hospital because his wife was raped. You do not know if the non-rate, you know the one who is dreading being here everyday, may have spent the summer before basic in a court room watching his sister testify against a man she claimed raped her-and then was set free as most rapists are and you didn’t put the two together on why he want to get the hell out of the Coast Guard. You don’t know if the BM1 will get a call on his cell phone while you are in the midst of your rants to be informed that his daughter was rape. Is the PO1 going to believe your rants about rape victims and tell the one that he loves what a crazy lying whore that she is or is he going to believe her and think that you are a total dickhead? Either way somebody loses. We, every single one of us, knows somebody who been raped or assaulted. Most likely there are dozens of people in our lives that been raped or assaulted and when you go on your- the victim is crazy and deserved it rant you are telling us that you are not on the side of rape victims or their friends or family or anyone that has been affected by rape and assault. You are not helping to rebuild the great reputation that this station had before we were known as the place that rape occurs and the place that rape victims are blamed, not believed and further tortured.

Now if only more people knew that so that we can steer away from the reputation that we are nothing more than rape victim hating assholes and instead build a reputation that shows that we actually care about this woman and all men and women who been raped or assaulted. All the training and work that we are doing does not matter if we all go back to our old ways and deny the rape survivor’s claims. The rape prevention training that we do is a freaking joke. At least we agreed on something.

I have reached out to help her and am one of her volunteer. She is smarter, harder working and kinder than any person that is serving here today and probably who have served here in 2006. While you are sitting around telling your rape jokes she is working to make sure that you are never a victim of rape. Yes she knows the name of every person who been saying things and she also knows the names of those who are as guilty and turn the other way by refusing to help her. She knows more about what this station is doing than what Senior and his pets/worshippers knows-many who are part of the let ruin the reputation of the Coast Guard by going on rants crew. When she no longer wants to speak out about what happened to her there are many more of us who are willing to speak out for her, if she wishes, and we’ll talk about the victim hating rants that we witnessed. As I said earlier the Coast Guard did a horrible job in covering up this rape and what happened to her as a result of reporting the rape. Unless you are dumb as a rock, and trust me there are some here who are, we all know that there was a coverup of a very, very brutal rape.

All those “don’t rape your shipmates” comments that are so notoriously tied with Station Burlington hold true even to this day. Raping a shipmate is more than the physical sexual act of rape. All of your anti-rape survivor rants or those who refuse to partake in them and walk away without telling others how wrong that they are as guilty. Basically if you are not working to actively eliminate the rape culture at the Station you are taking part in it.

As someone who been sexually assaulted I know that you are also not on my side. You have proved it over and over again. For that I have no respect for anything that you have to say. I know that everyone who is from the Station that is reading this is trying to figure out who I am. I have changed some identifying information to protect my identity. When I get out of this hell hole I’ll speak more frankly.

If you are a member of the public reading this just know that Coast Guard Station Burlington, VT has not changed since the rape survivor was here. Many still get their kicks in blaming, denying and refusing to help her and all rape and sexual assault survivors regardless if the help is directly reaching out to her or not telling someone to shut up when they go on a victim blaming rant or refused to acknowledge or talk about the rape. Cause that is a whole other problem, refusing to talk about the rape only further cover it up.

Now shipmates repeat after me:

Rape victims are not to be blamed.
Rape victims are not crazy.
Rape victims do not lie. The percentage of women that actually lie about rape in the military is less than .1%
I will not say anything bad about rape survivors because I do not know who is a rape survivor and who is not.
I will actively work to eliminate the hate against sexual assault survivors at Station Burlington.
I will acknowledge that there was a rape that occurred here in 2006. By acknowledging it I am not taking part in further covering it up.
I will reach out to offer help to all sexual assault and rape survivors that I know of. This includes anyone that I ever served with, friends and family members, and the woman who was raped here in 2006.
I support ALL survivors of rape and sexual assault. Do not choose and pick which ones tohelp and which ones you can abuse. No “I support rape survivors and sexual assault survivors except for..” excuses. You either helping us all or you are abusing us all. It is that black and white. Can’t make it any simpler for you all.

and for god sake when she comes back say thank you for her endless work to protect every single one of us from falling victims.

Maybe if we start doing that we won’t be outed by the Congress as the Station that call rape survivors crazy lying whores. Now that looked bad.

Post navigation

32 comments

Amazingly brilliant. This should be an integral part of every single sexual assault prevention training and every retarded ass sexual assault poster should be replaced with this. From a Navy MST survivor, thank you from the very core of me.

The same thing happened to me. I was Shipmate of the Month, on the path to a great Coast Guard career until I was raped. The same people who awarded me a few months earlier were now saying i’m a crazy, lying shitbag and an embarrassment to the Coast Guard. The women were by far worse than the men.

There were two people that came up to me in secretive and said “I support you but I don’t want to get in trouble.” So basically you can be as vocal as you want as long as you are pushing down a rape survivor but god forbid you want to help her you have to do it behind closed doors or write an article anonymously afraid that “people would track you down”. That in itself should speak loudly about the blame-the-victim, the victim-is-the-crazy one rape culture of the Coast Guard.

Thank you for writing this. I have been following what Stacy Houg, Christopher Simays and Joseph Lyndon been saying about people that been raped. It is pretty disturbing how fucked up in the head some people are to think that just because a woman who been raped is crazy, lying or a whore. What if it was your sister or mother who been raped and a good point that you mention what if your sister or mother was raped and never told you and they have to read what a rape victim hating monster that you have become.

We have flagged and thankfully facebook removed what Stacy Houg said but most of what Chris Simays and Joseph Lyndon victim-hating rants are still up. I do have screenshots of everything even what Stacy Houg has written. I can only imagine the damage to the reputation that those three have caused.

I do know that Christopher Simays the worst of the three goes on victim hating rants all over. His IP address (work and home) was traced on him trolling numerous comment sections of news and blog postings. The police are aware of it. Him being in Law Enforcement at St Michaels he should think twice before doing things that could possibly hinder his career. To make matters worse Christopher Simays never even served with her. He was long gone before she even got there. So just like you getting one side information from your crew he is getting one side information from the very same people she is accusing of abusing her AFTER reporting the assault.

There is also one kid who called me “an ugly bitch” after I came to the defense of the rape survivor. I don’t know who he is but he made it sound like he was from Station Burlington.

I hope you have a successful and long Coast Guard career. We need people like you in high leadership. If everyone in the Coast Guard was like you then we wouldn’t be sitting here talking about how badly women are treated after reporting a rape.

Thank you. it seems too often that people are afraid of speaking out on the side of a rape survivor out of fear of being punished. Imagine an organization that helping a victim is frowned upon and beating a victim is rewarded. That is the sad true of the Coast Guard.

Even though this post is not about me I’ll like to think that some people that I served with or who knew about my case would be on my side. Reading this makes me wonder if people were on my side and afraid to speak up. You are giving me hope that one day we can serve without being raped or abused.

I understand the risk that you took to write this. Thank you for not jumping on the bandwagon and abuse or not believe women that come forward with rape. The “crazy lying whore” statement does hit home to me as well. I was raped in the military and they said that I was crazy without anything to back up their claims. You are a wonderful leader. More should learn from you.

Stacy ,correct me if I am wrong but you knew PB for around 4 months. She started working at Station Burlington February 2006 and was gone by end of JUne/early July. Now that we agree on that let me continue.

Throughout those four months she was beaten, beaten again, raped. She was called names from the crew and the command such as “crazy” and “a liar” and had to continue working with her rapist even AFTER she reported it. She had to go to work everyday and be ostracized. When not on duty she slept anywhere but the station, including paying out of pocket for hotel rooms or even slept out in the streets cause it was, according to her safer. She was viewed as crazy, lazy, stupid, called every name in the book but a shipmate. The fact that she survived it is a miracle in my eyes. It simply shows what strong of a person that she is.

Fast forward five years later. She started the only rape crisis center devoted to helping military service members. She directly helped thousands of rape survivor in the military and even more people from policies changes that she fought for. She started this organization just a couple of months after her own rape. Her organization has two offices, with a 3rd in the works in which active duty and veterans can come in and get help and resources. Starting an organization like that is not what a crazy, lazy, stupid person can do. Starting an organization to help rape survivors is not what people who cry rape do.

Let me continue. Since she made this public herself I feel that I can share it. She is rated from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs as disabled for reasons of Military Sexual Trauma. Doctors at the VA saw enough evidence in her rape allegations to grant her disability, for life, for being raped while serving in the Coast Guard. This disability does not make her unemployable but she met a certain requirement that the VA sets when rating people various disability percentages. Being rated means she is suffering greatly, to this day, because of how she was treated in Burlington, VT. Now, on a personal level, I known this woman for 5 years. I have seen her at her best moments and at some bad moments. I have seen her break down in tears when talking about her rape. I have seen her go in complete trigger mode when there is a rape scene on tv that reminds her of her own assault. I also seen her working with rape survivors in the Coast Guard and how dedicated that she is to prevent what happened to her to happen to others–or at the very least for others in the Coast Guard to not go through the unthinkable alone. I also seen her upset and angry she gets when there is a new case to the center that reminds her of her own case and why after all these years some people in the Coast Guard choose to blame or not believe a survivor.

Now on to the rapist. Most rapists are not the creepy guys that are hiding in the ally with a knife waiting to prey on a woman. Rapists are the boys next door, the ones who look and act perfectly normal. They are the ones who someone like you and I may be friends with. They are the ones that someone like you and I may even admire or look up to. Often a rapist has a manipulative charm to them so that they can prey on the victims but also be well liked by others. Do you think if the rapist was a creepy jerk that she would have gone hiking with him? No, she wouldn’t. There was something about him that she trusted enough to go on a hiking trip with. Anything that I said about him, her or the investigation can be backed up by your own research. Google is a great tool.

So believe what you want to believe. You knew PB for 4 months, I have known her for 5 years. Her work with the organization, the support that she has now and the credentials is not that of someone who is crazy or a liar. If she was lying she would have disappeared not spend the past 5 years of her life lobbying the Congress for changes or meeting with survivors to support.

“I support ALL survivors of rape and sexual assault. Do not choose and pick which ones tohelp and which ones you can abuse. No “I support rape survivors and sexual assault survivors except for..” excuses. You either helping us all or you are abusing us all. It is that black and white. Can’t make it any simpler for you all.”

I can’t agree with this statement more! I was raped in the Coast Guard as well and was always told “I feel for rape survivors BUT Jane was never raped. She is crazy and a liar” It doesn’t bother me because I know that they have problems with their own esteem to take it out on me but just don’t act stupid. When you are in uniform or say that you are a Coastie and you say stupid statements you not only making yourself look stupid but it hurts us all. I think we all know of the stereotype that service members have of being uneducated and dumb. No need to prove that perhaps the stereotype is somewhat true.

I know for certain that the survivor received some sort of hate emails/phone calls (not sure which of the two) from people who are stationed in Burlington now because they blame her that Station Burlington got the reputation that it got. It is not her fault it is those like Stacy, Chris and Jason and everyone else who publicize how badly they treat rape survivor who is at fault. The reason Station Burlington is known as Station Rape is because a man chose to rape a woman there and not because a woman spoke about her rape.

Anyway she reported it to Senior and he was like “oh no, not my crew. My crew won’t ever do that.” Actually your crew does but nice job trying to refuse to hold somebody accountable.

For some reason she thinks highly of the Senior Chief even though many under his command are complete jerks especially the women.

Blame the victim! It is a common practice regardless if it is in the Coast Guard or not. Very sick practice. However this being in the military they could control it more. Simply someone in high command need to order them not to abuse a rape victim. However, I do not think that the Admirals care enough to end it and who say that they are not doing it themselves. If not to this victim to others.

What losers! Anyone that calls a woman who been raped crazy or a liar just because they want to protect their “friend” or the “reputation of the station” is only making themselves look like fool and it is counterproductive in protecting the reputation of the station. Station Burlington is known as Station Rape not because a rape occurred there but because of how badly she was treated AFTR she reported it. It became more than a he said-she said-she was horribly treated to the point that anyone with internet can see how badly she was treated because they still post psychotic, victim-blaming rants all over the internet. The victim did not even have to say or do anything Chris Simays and crew showed us themselves how horribly this woman was treated for being raped. I don’t think anyone in this country believes any of the trolling done by Christopher Simays. I read some of his stories and well he does not have anything to back up his claims so I say she should sue him for slander.

The rape victim was forced to take lie detector tests which she passed. The rapist failed on multiple ocassions. It is also illegal in the civilian sector to give a lie detector test to a rape victim under the Victim of Violence act because it is so traumatizing to a woman who just been raped but the Coast Guard is exempt from that policy so they gave her a lie detector test which she PASSED on the FIRST TIME and 2nd and probably 3rd. The rapist “passed” on the 4th or 5th time and only AFTER he was drugged out. Again this is all information that is now public.

Calling a rape survivor crazy or a liar is so over done. I think that at some point every rape survivor has been told that they were crazy or lying. People can see right through it and only feel pity for the person saying it but at the same time just stop saying it and stop making yourself look like a fool! I was raped in the Coast Guard in 1996 and was told that I was crazy and lying. Took me over 12 years to realize that hey I’m not crazy–my rapist is crazy for raping a woman. My command is crazy for calling a rape survivor a liar or crazy. As I was struggling with what was happening my rapist was able to continue his career in the Coast Guard as if nothing had happened. He may even still be in.

I am sorry that you had to go through that as a child. I hope that you getting treatment to help deal with emotions that are only now coming up. Being at Station Rape could certainly be triggering for someone with a history of trauma. It is very brave of you to submit this story. I hope that it changed not only the attitude of Station Rape I mean Burlington but also the entire military. We all know a rape victim is so very true.

Can we clone you and distribute you to all Coast Guard installations in the country? You hit it right on the nail. When you victim-slandering, not believing a victim or just acting like a complete ass towards a victim you never know who is witnessing it and who themselves might be a victim and of course we all know a victim or more like 10. Most rapes and never reported in general and not just in the Coast Guard so you never know who is a victim and who is not so treat everyone with respect, dignity because you don;t know who around you is being hurt by your words and actions. It is usually not the person that those words are directed towards.

Even the Congress is fed up with rape survivors being victimized at Station Burlington and Boston. They investigated and this is what they found:

“On May 30, 2006, Seaman Bertzikis was raped by a shipmate when she stationed in Burlington, Vermont. During a hike, her rapist threw her onto the ground, punched her in the face, and raped her.

She reported the rape to command, who told her to cease speaking about it or she would be charged with the military equivalent of slander. She later obtained photographs and admissions made by her rapist through the Freedom of Information Act, but command failed to bring him to justice in any way. Instead, they forced Seaman Bertzikis to live on the same floor with her rapist, where he would remain a constant threat. Command also told the seaman to work with her rapist and use the time together to “work out their differences.’

Command was well aware, but did not stop, further assaults and harassment of Seaman Bertzikis.”

@Bethanny. Nope. Don’t know NJB. The person who been harassing me for the past month or so because I said that rape survivors should not be punished initials were RW. I am not sure if he is from Burlington or just a nut job who defend rapists. His FB profile says Coast Guard so he probably u in the CG but not sure if he from Burlington-

Joseph F. Lydon called me a scumbag because I said that women should serve in the Coast Guard without being raped. facebook removed his comment for being harassing but I have a screenshot of it before it was removed. Very sick man that he is.

I just received communication from someone named Mitchel Gale who went all psycho on me for talking about the rape at Burlington. Said we made his life hell when he was in Burlington so I guess he was from Burlington.

if you received any emails/facebook messages from anyone regarding this case please do not delete them. If you have received phone calls write down the phone number, date and time of the call. if they block their number right down the date and time that they called. Also write down what the person said, if you have a name or at the very least how they sound like.

if you report it keep a record of EVERYTHING. The Coast Guard wants it to go away. We have lawyers working with us who are going to make sure that Joseph, Chris Simays, Stacy Houg and everyone that ever abused this woman to not get away with it.

The survivor and others have received harassing messages from many at station burlington. the survivor is trying to call the current OIC to get this taken of but he not returning her phone call. I am tired of rape victims being constantly harassed for speaking out. It is not her fault that the station has the reputation that it has.

He is not returning phone calls cause of the code of silence. If he had nothing to hide or be ashamed of he would have called her especially considering how highly she USED to talk about him. I have a feeling that has changed and if it haven’t someone knock some sense into her please. He needs to learn to control his crew even with the change of command in a few months his duty at Station Burlington are not yet over. End of fucking story.

The survivor has contacted the OIC and I think that we should let them deal with this before we blow up this issue unnecessarily. All he needs to do is call an all hands and say don’t harass them rape survivor. If she reports that someone does AFTER he calls such meeting then disciplinary actions should be taken against the member. However I doubt that anyone would do anything after being told not to.

I’m a 27 year veteran of the USCG, I retired a CWO3, I was sexually assaulted on board USCGC COWSLIP 2x the first time by Kevin Drane a fireman on board. You are a brave person. To you all “Silence is Agreement”! I they start trashing this young women tell them to shut the fuck up. If they call you a name tell them to shut the fuck up. Take your power, to me you have it, you are a strong individual or you would never written. You are a brave man, tell yourself that in the mirror every morning. That young woman didn’t deserve to be raped and you didn’t deserve what your uncle did. There are some terrible people in this world, I believe in God and I believe there is a terrible place for them. I did not deserve my assault you didn’t and neither did the young woman you speak about, she has done incredible things with the power she found, I’ve written 100’s of letters to everybody that’s anybody to open my 25 year old case, President Obama’s Chief of staff called me, my letter writing didn’t stop I am still writing letters concerning women and the medical treatment they receive at the VA. Have something good come out of what you’ve done. The OINC needs to be told to order the crew to shut the fuck up. I’ve seen it work. Help you OINC become the person they need to be. I’m proud of you, may God give you peace. I wish I would have served with you.
Linda Carroll Madson retired CWO3.

Do you know SN Lindsay Patchett ? She is using facebook to attack the author of this posting saying that he is “just angry”. Personally I do not see anger. I see someone that is sad to see the direction the Coast Guard has been heading for years and feels scared and hopeless. If he was angry at the Coast Guard and hated the Coast Guard he wouldn’t have volunteered his time to help Coast Guard rape survivors and he certainly wouldn’t have put himself out there and taken the risk to write this beautiful posting. Thank you.